Local police have issued a warning following multiple sighting of the costumed creep — or creeps — and at least twohashtags have been created to track the Stephen King fanatic's every move.

A Facebook page claiming to be associated with the Northampton Clown has debunked several popular rumors related to the stunt, including that it is being perpetrated by teenagers, that it is a promotion for the popular "scare attraction" Dr. Fright's Night, and that it is part of a set-up for the filming of a mockumentary about a "local clown."

Meanwhile, the phenomenon has prompted at least one mild-mannered citizen to take matters into his own hands and dub himself The Clown Catcher — the world's most specialized superhero.